Elsie Quarterman facts for kids
Elsie Quarterman (born November 28, 1910 – died June 9, 2014) was a very important scientist who studied plants and their environments. She was known as a plant ecologist. She also taught at Vanderbilt University for many years.
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Early Life and Education
Elsie Quarterman was born on November 28, 1910, in Valdosta, Georgia. She loved learning about plants from a young age. She went to Georgia State Women's College, which is now Valdosta State University, and earned her first degree in 1932.
Later, she continued her studies at Duke University. She earned a master's degree in botany in 1943. Botany is the study of plants. She then completed her PhD, which is the highest university degree, in 1949. During her studies, she worked closely with another scientist named Catherine Keever.
Discovering Tennessee's Unique Habitats
Elsie Quarterman is most famous for her work on special places in Tennessee called cedar glades. These are rare natural areas where plants grow on thin soil over limestone rocks. Many unique plants that are found nowhere else in the world grow in these glades.
The Rediscovery of the Tennessee Coneflower
In 1969, Elsie Quarterman made an amazing discovery. She found the native Tennessee coneflower, Echinacea tennesseensis, which scientists thought had disappeared forever. Because of her discovery, people worked hard to protect this flower. These efforts were very successful! The coneflower was no longer considered an endangered species in 2011.
Teaching and Mentoring
Elsie Quarterman was also a dedicated teacher. She guided seven students who were working on their doctoral degrees. Some of her students became important plant ecologists themselves. For example, Carol and Jerry Baskin became professors at the University of Kentucky.
Honors and Awards
Elsie Quarterman received many honors for her important work.
First Woman Department Chair
In 1964, she made history at Vanderbilt University. She became the first woman to lead a department when she chaired the Biology Department.
Recognitions and Named Places
The Tennessee Academy of Science honored her with a special award in 2003. The Southeastern Chapter of the Ecological Society of America also gives an annual award named after her and Catherine Keever. This award celebrates the best student research in ecology.
A natural area covering about 185 acres (0.75 square kilometers) is named in her honor. It is called the Elsie Quarterman Cedar Glade. It is part of the Percy Priest Reservoir and Wildlife Management Area near La Vergne, Tennessee.
In 2008, a popular spring wildflower event at Cedars of Lebanon State Park was renamed the Elsie Quarterman Wildflower Weekend. This event has been celebrated for over 30 years.
Later Life
Elsie Quarterman lived a long and full life. She passed away on June 9, 2014, at the age of 103.
